Album Review

Slumber has, at times, been described as a death metal-influenced doom metal band, but truth be told, the Stockholm, Sweden-based outfit doesn't sound like Grief, YOB, Saint Vitus, Khanate, or Toadliquor (all of which are perfect examples of Black Sabbath-minded doom bands). A much better and more accurate way to describe Fallout (which is Slumber's first full-length album) is melodic death metal with a strong gothic influence. The lead vocals are pure death metal; they favor the type of deep, guttural growl that death metal bands are known for. But Fallout doesn't have the ferocious, skull-crushing, dense approach that you get with a lot of Nordic death metal; the material rocks aggressively, although not in an ultra-brutal fashion. Rather, bands like Slumber are considered melodic death metal because they are exactly that — melodic. Slumber's melodies and harmonies are definitely on the dark side; they clearly identify with the gloominess and melancholia of goth rock. No one will accuse Fallout of being the most cheerful release of 2005, and that gloomy outlook no doubt has a lot to do with some listeners calling Slumber doom metal. But doom metal isn't just about lyrics. It's a particular sound — a very Black Sabbath-influenced sound, and Fallout doesn't have the element of Sabbath worship that you get with Toadliquor, Grief, or Khanate. But Fallout does have plenty of goth worship, although the disc rocks decisively harder than the non-metal goth rock of the Sisters of Mercy, the Crüxshadows, or the seminal Bauhaus. This album falls short of exceptional, but it's a respectable, worthwhile example of melodic death metal being combined with gothic metal.